DRC Article NT Softball to spend $40,000 renovat

[OldTimer]

Denia Park to see NCAA action

UNT plans renovation of two softball fields for its newest women's team

06/03/2003

By Matthew Zabel / Denton Record-Chronicle

Two city-owned softball fields are scheduled to get a free facelift, courtesy of the University of North Texas.

UNT, which begins playing NCAA softball in the fall, plans to renovate two of the four softball fields at Denia Park in south Denton this summer so it can play its home games there.

After the university acquires land from Liberty Christian School next summer, it plans to build a permanent stadium there, leaving the city about $40,000 in improvements to fields at Denia Park.

“The key is, we can get UNT and the prestige of NCAA Division I softball, and new facilities at Denia Park at no cost to the city,” said Ed Hodney, Denton’s parks and recreation director. “That’s a great deal.”

University and city officials said they’ve verbally agreed to the arrangement, but they are still working out the legal details of the agreement.

UNT Athletic Director Rick Villarreal said the university plans to install a new infield surface, outfield grass, batting cages, bullpens and scoreboards to the two fields on the south side of the park in order to bring it up to NCAA standards.

UNT also might add a press box to one field, he said.

The upgrades won’t take long once construction begins, officials said.

Having two fields prepared will allow the Mean Green to host tournaments and let the team alternate fields to minimize wear and make maintenance easier, Mr. Villarreal said. A press box on one field could make it a field for premier games, but both fields would be of high enough quality and suitable for collegiate games, he said.

UNT will share the fields with the city’s youth softball leagues, and players in those leagues will be able to attend the Mean Green’s softball games for free next season, Mr. Villarreal said.

Mr. Hodney said construction on the fields would not begin until the softball league is finished using them for the season. The only potential conflict comes during the fall season, when UNT will play several scrimmage games and the Denton County Girls Softball Association plays some league games. But the youth leagues will have priority if a conflict arises, Mr. Hodney said.

Other than fall practices, UNT plans to host the North Texas Fall Classic at Denia Park. All its other fall games are on the road.

UNT’s regular softball season will be in the spring.

Mr. Villarreal said the university needed to add softball this year because the women’s sport helps bring the university closer to gender equity standards set by Title IX. It will also give the Sun Belt Conference, of which UNT is a member, six softball teams, and thus an automatic bid to the College World Series.

Softball is the 16th sport at UNT and one of 10 women’s sports.

Playing at a city park where youth regularly play will help promote softball within the city, Mr. Villarreal said, and playing on a borrowed field can have its advantages, too.

“When I was at Southern Mississippi, we played on a borrowed field for three years; two of those years we went to the College World Series,” Mr. Villarreal said. “I’m not saying lightning will strike twice, but it worked for us then.”

MATTHEW ZABEL

[DeepGreen]

“The key is, we can get UNT and the prestige of NCAA Division I softball, and new facilities at Denia Park at no cost to the city,” said Ed Hodney, Denton’s parks and recreation director. “That’s a great deal.”

Once again the City of Denton benefits from something UNT is doing. Wonder if the City ever entertained the idea of supporting UNT in all sports. <_<